To call Hong Kong (香港) a city of contrasts would be an understatement. This small region on the South Eastern tip of China has been labelled as the New York of Asia, the meeting point of East and West, and even disregarded as a barren rock. While it is a haven for peace, tranquillity and nature, it is also a busy metropolitan business centre at the same time.

Once a British colony, Hong Kong is now a Special Administrative Region of China, but it is a special region that has lost none of its charm. Sure there are many colonial legacies that have been left behind, but Hong Kong is a modern metropolis that refuses to stand still. Hong Kong is like a bustling ball of energy. From the ultramodern central business district to the the swarming late-night shopping districts of Mong Kok, and then even down to the idyllic beaches in the New Territories, Hong Kong really has it all. There is the world’s tallest out-door seated Buddha but there is also the number one skyline in the world. There are some of the busiest shopping and business districts in world, but there is also a 60-hectare public wetland reserve. The main island is home to the sixth tallest office building in the world, but it is also part of a group of 263 islands that make up the region of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is defined by its contrasts and it really is contra-distinctive in every sense of the complicated word.

Fast Facts About Hong Kong

Hong Kong Tourist Attractions

Hong Kong is not your average tourism destination. There are no white sand beaches and no real main attractions like the Eiffel Tower or the Empire State building. Yet Hong Kong has just been voted the best overseas city as part of a European poll involving 15’000 people. The reason for Hong Kong’s popularity is probably due to the vibrant energy and excitement of this amazing city.

Although there are not many of your typical tourism clichés, the attractions that are here are multifarious and abundant. While there is Disneyland and the third tallest building in Greater China, there is also the largest outdoor statue of a giant Buddha and a massive wetland park to attract the ecotourist in us all. More often than not, visitors come to this city not for the attractions, but for the energy, the scenic views, and the overall unrivalled Hong Kong experience.

Welcome to Chengdu (成都), also known as the Brocade City, the Lotus City, the Panda City, and the City of Hibiscus. The face of Chengdu has been constantly changing during its history of more than 2300 years. Classic Chinese architecture is hard to find downtown as the new, affluent class of southwest China prefers modern skyscrapers. Still, Chengdu is an excellent urban locale to take a break during a likely tiresome, yet awe-inspiring travel through Sichuan province and neighboring Yunnan and Tibet. Foreigners truly love living in Chengdu, a fully modernized city with a fraction the cost of living of eastern giants like Beijing or Shanghai. The most beautiful parts of China await you outside Chengdu, but Synotrip urges you to smile at a panda or two, sweat out some spicy food, and bask in the leisurely lifestyle of the local Chengdu residents before you go.

Chairman Mao is never forgotten as he overlooks Tianfu Square, the heart of Chengdu.  Local citizens flock to the square to relax amidst the crowds on weekends.

Chengdu Restaurants

Throughout China Sichuan province is extremely well-known for its cuisine. Chengdu has plenty of Western restaurants as well, but these locales are better suited to foreigners living in Chengdu who need the occasional break from the Sichuan diet. Travelers with only a few days to spend in Chengdu should try as many of the local dishes as possible. Use the "Guide to Chengdu Eats" to help you get started. And by the way, I hope you’ve got at least some tolerance for spicy food...

Beijing (Běijīng [北京]), literally the "north capital," is also sometimes referred to as "Peking".  It has been the capital of China at various times in the country’s long history, and most recently since the founding of the People’s Republic of China (中华人民共和国) in 1949.  This fascinating capital city, at first glance, seems to effortlessly blend tradition with modernism - first time visitors will immediately be struck by the contrasts between old and new and the inescapable sense that change is happening at an accelerated pace.

Beijing has something for everyone. For the history buffs, Beijing is a living museum, filled with countless palaces, tombs, and temples left from centuries of Imperial rule. For foreign students and scholars, Beijing boasts two world-renowned universities as well as dozens of top-tier language institutions. For culinary enthusiasts, Beijing greets you with her mouth-watering Peking duck. For the culturally inclined, Beijing offers the bright faces and unique sounds of the Beijing Opera (京剧).  For those seeking retail therapy, Beijing is a shopping haven.  For nature lovers, Beijing has hiking trails, many tranquil parks, and of course you can climb the greatest wall in the world!

No matter what you’re looking for, Beijing has it. And the best part is - there is always more to explore as the city is constantly evolving in the race to modernise and beautify.  Contrasts and contradictions await you at every turn - exclusive apartment buildings next to dilapidated old-style buildings, luxury cars driving alongside hawkers transporting their goods on the back of their bikes, ancient temples surrounded by modern high-rises.  Whatever comfort zone you happen to be in, be prepared to be shaken out of it  by this relentless but exciting city.   

You could spend a year in Beijing and still find that you’ve only scratched the surface. So what are you waiting for? Beijing beckons!

Fast Facts About Beijing

Beijing Restaurants

With approximately 50,000 restaurants to choose from, eating out is very much part of living in Beijing. You can find just about any kind of restaurant in this city, be it a wide variety of Chinese cuisine, pan-Asian, European, South American, African, fusion, the list goes on and on. There are restaurants to suit all kinds of tastes and budgets. It is just as easy to find a restaurant serving authentic Chinese cuisine as it is to find a sushi bar or a vegetarian restaurant.